Electrical connector

ABSTRACT

A plug and socket type connector is disclosed that provides a fluid proof electrical connection. The plug member includes a body with contacts located on opposite sides of the body with seal members on each side of the contacts that wipe the socket as the plug is pushed into the socket and seal the plug and socket contacts from the ambient fluid when the contacts are in engagement. The socket contact forms a portion of the wall of the socket opening. The plug contacts are balls located in an opening that extends transverse the body. The balls extend out of the openings far enough to engage the socket contact. A coil spring located between the balls hold the balls against the socket contact and electrically connects the balls to the plug body.

United States Patent 1 91 Florian 1 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR [75] Inventor: Eugene F. Florian, Houston, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Mark Products, Inc., Houston, Tex.

[22] Filed: Dec. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 313,789

Primary Examiner-Joseph H. McGlynn Attorney, Agent, or FirmJennings B. Thompson [451 Aug. 27, 1974 ABSIRACT A plug and socket type connector is disclosed that provides a fluid proof electrical connection. The plug member includes a body with contacts located on opposite sides of the body with seal members on each side of the contacts that wipe the socket as the plug is pushed into the socket and seal the plug and socket contacts from the ambient fluid when the contacts are in engagement. The socket contact forms a portion of the wall of the socket opening. The plug contacts are balls located in an opening that extends transverse the body. The balls extend out of the openings far enough to engage the socket contact. A coil spring located between the balls hold the balls against the socket contact and electrically connects the balls to the plug body.

12 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures mmwwsemn m-ms'm FIG. 2 F/G, 3

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR This invention relates to electrical connectors generally, and in particular to plug and socket type connectors.

In plug and socket type connectors it is necessary that the contact carried by the plug be held in firm engagement with the contact of the socket to insure a good electrical connection between the two. Further, it is important that this engagement be established each time the plug is inserted in the socket over the life of the connector. Where the connector is designed to pro vide a fluid-proof seal between the contacts and the ambient fluid, the contact of the socket forms a portion of the wall of the socket intermeidate its ends and the contact on the plug is located between seal members. Some means then must be provided to hold the two contacts in firm engagement while allowing the plug to be easily moved into and out of the socket to make and break the electrical connection.

It is an object of this invention to provide a plug and socket type of connector that insures good, firm engagement between the contacts thereof throughout the life of the connector.

It is another object of this invention to provide a fluid proof plug and socket type electrical connector of the type described above wherein the contact in the socket does not move relative to the socket body thereby allowing the body of the socket and the socket contact to be made of a relatively rigid material.

It is another object of this invention to provide a plug and socket type electrical connection where the contacts are held in good electrical contact by a member that will provide a constant uniform force for that purpose for the life of the connector.

It is another object of this invention to provide a plug and socket type electrical connector that substantially reduces the possibility of electrical contact being broken between the socket and plug contacts when the connector is subjected to vibrations, rapid accelerations or other shocks.

These and other objects, advantages, and features of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of this specification, including the attached drawings and appended claims.

The invention will now be described in detail in connection with the attached drawings in which,

FIG. I is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the preferred embodiment of the plug and socket assemblies of the connector of this invention with the socket assembly shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the plug assembly of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation of the plug assembly of FIG. 2 in position in the socket assembly, which is shown in dotted lines; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3.

The novel features of this invention can be embodied in any type of connector having one socket and one plug member for insertion therein to connect together two electrical conductors.

In the embodiment shown, the connector is designed to provide a take out connection for a multi-conductor cable. In other words, cable contains many pairs of conductors. The connector in the drawings is designed to connect a conductor in cable 10 to a conductor in cable 11.

The connector includes socket assembly 12 and plug assembly 13. The socket assembly includes socket body 14 which, in the embodiment shown, comprises two portions 14a and 14b. The two portions are adapted to be assembled around cable 10. The two portions of the body are internally shaped to provide cavity 16. The portion of cable 10 inside cavity 16 has its insulation removed so that one of its conductors can be connected to the socket contact to be described below. Cavity l6 and the openings in the body through which cable 10 extends is sealed by appropriate gaskets, such as gasket 18.

In the embodiment shown, socket body portion 14b is provided with socket 20. The socket is an opening having a generally uniform diameter throughout its length and extends completely through the body. A socket contact is positioned in the socket body, with one surface thereof forming a portion of the wall of the socket intermediate its ends. In the embodiment shown, sleeve or cylinder 22 is located in body portion 14b with the longitudinal axis of the cylinder coinciding with the longitudinal axis of socket 20. The inside diameter of the cylinder is substantially equal to the diameter of the socket so that the inside wall of the cylinder forms a portion of the inside wall of the socket and provides a contact surface to be engaged by the contact of the plug member to be inserted in the socket.

Since in accordance with one feature of this invention, the socket contact is not required to move relative to the socket body, socket contact 22 can be cylindrical and made of an easily machined, readily available, electrically conductive material, such as brass. Further, the body portion of the socket may be made of a relatively rigid material. This allows some of the easily molded plastics, such as polyurethane or polypropylene, to be used. These materials have good electrical insulating qualities and allows the contact to be embedded in the body of the material when it is cast.

An opening is required between the socket contact and cavity 16 to allow a conductor in cable 10 to be connected to the socket contact. Alternatively, a lead could be connected to the contact to extend into cavity 16 and be molded in place during the forming of the socket body. In any event, as shown in FIG. 1, the socket contact is connected to the appropriate conductor in cable 10.

The plug assembly includes plug member 24 for insertion into the socket 20 in the body of the socket assembly.

Body 26 tapers to a reduced diameter adjacent radially extending portion 29. In the embodiment shown, this portion is disc-shaped or cylindrical having a diameter just slightly less than the diameter of the socket. Portion 30 of the body on the other side is of reduced diameter and provided with annular groove 30a which serves to anchor the seal member to the body.

Body 26 has opening or hole 32 located in portion 29 and extending traverse the longitudinal axis of the body. In accordance with this invention, a plug contact is located adjacent one end of the opening and is movable to a position where a portion of the contact extending out of the opening far enough to make electri cal contact with the socket contact when the plug member is inserted into the socket. In the embodiment shown, two socket contacts 34 and 36 are located in opposite ends of opening 32. The contacts are spheres of electrically conductive material.

Spring means of electrically conductive material are provided to resiliently urge the plug contact into position to engage the socket contact. In the embodiment shown, coil spring 38 is positioned in opening 32 between ball contacts 34 and 36. The spring is preferably double-tapered as shown, with its maximum diameter about midway between its ends. Also, the maximum diameter of the spring should be equal to or slightly greater than the opening so that it has to be pushed into the opening with some force or is forced against the body firmly when the contacts are moved into position in the opening. This insures good electrical contact between the spring and the body of the plug member. Ball contacts 34 and 36 compress the spring when placed in the opening. They are held in place by swedging the metal adjacent the ends of the opening to reduce its diameter sufficiently to limit the distance the ball contacts can extend out of the opening. This distance, of course, is more than sufficient for the ball or plug contacts to be held firmly in engagement with the socket contact when the plug member is in the socket.

In FIG. 2, plug member 24 is shown on an enlarged scale. It includes generally elongated body 26 that is made of an electrically conductive material, such as brass, and one that is also preferably easily machined. End 27 of the plug contact is provided with tapped hole 28 for mounting the plug member in the housing of the plug assembly.

The plug member also includes two seal members 40 and 42, located on opposite sides of portion 29 of the body. The seal members are of a resilient elastomeric material, such as rubber. Preferably, they are molded around body 26 covering substantially its entire surface except for portion 29. Actual sealing contact between the seal members and the socket occurs through annular, semi-circular, rings 43 and 44. These rings are slightly larger in diameter than the socket and isolate the contacts from the ambient fluid in which the connection is located. Groove 30a helps anchor seal member 42 to the body. Seal member 40 is anchored between portion 29 and the tapered surface of the body.

In operation then, when plug member 24 is inserted in socket 20, contacts 34 and 36 will be forced into hole or opening 32 against the force of spring 38. This spring force will hold contacts 34 and 36 in very firm engagement with the inside wall of socket contact 21 as shown in FIG. 3. Electrical contact is made through both ball contacts and the spring. This insures that vibration or other shocks to the connector will not be likely to cause a break in the electrical connection since this would require both balls to be moved away from the socket contact at the same time.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the apparatus of this invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

1. An electrical connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body having a socket therein and a contact positioned in the body with one surface thereof forming a portion of the wall of the socket intermediate the ends of the socket, the plug assembly including a plug member for insertion into the socket, said plug member including an elongated body of electrically conductive material having an opening therethrough extending transverse the longitudinal axis of the body, two plug contacts of electrically conductive material, each contact being located adjacent one end of the opening and movable to a position with a portion of the contact extending out of the opening far enough to make electrical contact with the contact of the socket, and spring means of electrically conductive material located in the opening between the contacts and in electrical contact with the contacts and the body of the plug for resiliently urging the plug contacts to said socket contact engaging position to electrically connect the socket and the plug through the plug contacts and the spring means.

2. The connector of claim 1 in which the socket assembly contact is a cylindrical member, the inside diameter of which is substantially equal to the diameter of the socket in the socket body.

3. The connector of claim 1 further provided with two seal members carried by the plug body on opposite sides of said opening to engage the walls of the socket on opposite sides of the socket contact to seal the two engaged contact surfaces from ambient fluid exterior of the connector, when the plug is inserted into the socket.

4. The connector of claim 1 in which the spring means comprises a double-tapered coil spring having its maximum diameter approximately midway between its ends, said maximum diameter being equal to or larger than the diameter of the opening to insure good electrical contact between the spring and the body of the plug assembly.

5. A fluid proof electrical connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body of non-conductive material having a socket therein and a contact of electrically conductive material positioned for a surface of the contact to form a portion of the side wall of the opening that is spaced from the ends of the opening, said plug assembly including a body of electrically conductive material having an elongated central portion and a radially extending portion attached to the central portion intermediate its ends, said radially extending portion having a hole therein, the open end of which faces in a direction transverse the longitudinal axis of the body, a contact located in the hole adjacent its open end to extend partially out of the open end far enough to engage the socket contact when the plug is inserted into the socket, spring means located in the hole urging the plug contact toward said socket contact engaging position, said spring means being of electrically conductive ma- The invention having been described, what is claimed terial and in engagement with the body and plug contact to electrically connect the two, and two seal members mounted on the central portion of the body on opposite sides of the radially extending portion of the body to engage the side walls of the socket in the socket body and seal the contacts from fluid outside the socket body.

6. The connector of claim 5 in which the socket contact is a cylinder with its longitudinal axis in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the socket and spaced from its ends.

7. The connector of claim 6 in which the hole extends through the radially extending portion of the body and which is further provided with a second plug contact located in the hole to extend out of the other open end of the hole to engage the socket contact and which is urged towards said socket engaging position by said spring means.

8. The connector of claim 7 in which the spring means comprises a double-tapered coil spring having its maximum diameter approximately midway between its ends, said maximum diameter being equal to or larger than the diameter of the opening to insure good electrical contact between the spring and the body of the plug assembly.

9. An electrical connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body having a cylindrical socket therein and a cylindrical contact positioned in the body with its inside surface forming a portion of the wall of the socket, the plug assembly including a cylindrical plug member for insertion into the socket, said plug member including an elongated body of electrically conductive material having an opening extending transversely therethrough, two plug contacts comprising spherical balls of electrically conductive material located in the opening adjacent opposite ends thereof and movable partly out of the opening in opposite directions to engage the socket contact when the plug member is in the socket, and spring means located in the opening between the plug contacts to resiliently urge the contacts into position to so engage the socket contact, said spring means being electrically conductive to electrically connect the plug contacts with the plug body.

10. The connector of claim 9 in which the spring means is a coil spring that tapers from a maximum diameter at approximately midway between its ends to a minimum diameter at its ends with the maximum diameter equal to or greater than the diameter of the opening to insure good electrical contact between the spring and the body.

11. The connector of claim 9 further provided with two seal members carried by the plug body on opposite sides of said opening to engage the walls of the socket on opposite sides of the socket contact to seal the engaged contact surfaces from ambient fluid exterior of the connection, when the plug is inserted into the socket.

12. An electrical plug connector assembly of the type insertable into a socket assembly having a side wall and a connector surface of cylindrical shape in cross section comprising a body of electrically conductive material having an elongated central portion and a radially extending portion attached to the central portion intermediate its ends, said radially extending portion having a hole therethrough the open ends of which face in a direction transverse the longitudinal axis of the body, two contacts located in the hole with each contact adjacent an open end of the hole to extend partially out of the open end far enough to engage the socket contact when the plug is inserted into the socket, spring means located in the hole between the contacts urging the contacts toward their socket contact engaging position, such spring means being of electrically conductive material and in engagement with the body and the plug contacts to electrically connect the two, and two seal members mounted on the central portion of the body on opposite sides of the radially extending portion of the body to engage the side walls of a socket and seal the contacts from fluid outside the socket body. 

1. An electrical connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body having a socket therein and a contact positioned in the body with one surface thereof forming a portion of the wall of the socket intermediate the ends of the socket, the plug assembly including a plug member for insertion into the socket, said plug member including an elongated body of electrically conductive material having an opening therethrough Extending transverse the longitudinal axis of the body, two plug contacts of electrically conductive material, each contact being located adjacent one end of the opening and movable to a position with a portion of the contact extending out of the opening far enough to make electrical contact with the contact of the socket, and spring means of electrically conductive material located in the opening between the contacts and in electrical contact with the contacts and the body of the plug for resiliently urging the plug contacts to said socket contact engaging position to electrically connect the socket and the plug through the plug contacts and the spring means.
 2. The connector of claim 1 in which the socket assembly contact is a cylindrical member, the inside diameter of which is substantially equal to the diameter of the socket in the socket body.
 3. The connector of claim 1 further provided with two seal members carried by the plug body on opposite sides of said opening to engage the walls of the socket on opposite sides of the socket contact to seal the two engaged contact surfaces from ambient fluid exterior of the connector, when the plug is inserted into the socket.
 4. The connector of claim 1 in which the spring means comprises a double-tapered coil spring having its maximum diameter approximately midway between its ends, said maximum diameter being equal to or larger than the diameter of the opening to insure good electrical contact between the spring and the body of the plug assembly.
 5. A fluid proof electrical connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body of non-conductive material having a socket therein and a contact of electrically conductive material positioned for a surface of the contact to form a portion of the side wall of the opening that is spaced from the ends of the opening, said plug assembly including a body of electrically conductive material having an elongated central portion and a radially extending portion attached to the central portion intermediate its ends, said radially extending portion having a hole therein, the open end of which faces in a direction transverse the longitudinal axis of the body, a contact located in the hole adjacent its open end to extend partially out of the open end far enough to engage the socket contact when the plug is inserted into the socket, spring means located in the hole urging the plug contact toward said socket contact engaging position, said spring means being of electrically conductive material and in engagement with the body and plug contact to electrically connect the two, and two seal members mounted on the central portion of the body on opposite sides of the radially extending portion of the body to engage the side walls of the socket in the socket body and seal the contacts from fluid outside the socket body.
 6. The connector of claim 5 in which the socket contact is a cylinder with its longitudinal axis in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the socket and spaced from its ends.
 7. The connector of claim 6 in which the hole extends through the radially extending portion of the body and which is further provided with a second plug contact located in the hole to extend out of the other open end of the hole to engage the socket contact and which is urged towards said socket engaging position by said spring means.
 8. The connector of claim 7 in which the spring means comprises a double-tapered coil spring having its maximum diameter approximately midway between its ends, said maximum diameter being equal to or larger than the diameter of the opening to insure good electrical contact between the spring and the body of the plug assembly.
 9. An electrical connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body having a cylindrical socket therein and a cylindrical contact positioned in the body with its inside surface forming a portion of the wall of the socket, the plug assembly including a cyLindrical plug member for insertion into the socket, said plug member including an elongated body of electrically conductive material having an opening extending transversely therethrough, two plug contacts comprising spherical balls of electrically conductive material located in the opening adjacent opposite ends thereof and movable partly out of the opening in opposite directions to engage the socket contact when the plug member is in the socket, and spring means located in the opening between the plug contacts to resiliently urge the contacts into position to so engage the socket contact, said spring means being electrically conductive to electrically connect the plug contacts with the plug body.
 10. The connector of claim 9 in which the spring means is a coil spring that tapers from a maximum diameter at approximately midway between its ends to a minimum diameter at its ends with the maximum diameter equal to or greater than the diameter of the opening to insure good electrical contact between the spring and the body.
 11. The connector of claim 9 further provided with two seal members carried by the plug body on opposite sides of said opening to engage the walls of the socket on opposite sides of the socket contact to seal the engaged contact surfaces from ambient fluid exterior of the connection, when the plug is inserted into the socket.
 12. An electrical plug connector assembly of the type insertable into a socket assembly having a side wall and a connector surface of cylindrical shape in cross section comprising a body of electrically conductive material having an elongated central portion and a radially extending portion attached to the central portion intermediate its ends, said radially extending portion having a hole therethrough the open ends of which face in a direction transverse the longitudinal axis of the body, two contacts located in the hole with each contact adjacent an open end of the hole to extend partially out of the open end far enough to engage the socket contact when the plug is inserted into the socket, spring means located in the hole between the contacts urging the contacts toward their socket contact engaging position, such spring means being of electrically conductive material and in engagement with the body and the plug contacts to electrically connect the two, and two seal members mounted on the central portion of the body on opposite sides of the radially extending portion of the body to engage the side walls of a socket and seal the contacts from fluid outside the socket body. 